The Great Freak Out
by jaik
Summary: On a routine mission something on the planet makes Sam freak out. The rest of the team is now on a mission to find the answers that will save her life. Sam recieves help from an old and dear friend.
1. Chapter 1

**The SGC**

At the conference table SG1 gathered around their fearless leader expectantly. The team looked at Jack O'Neill waiting patiently.

"So have you heard the one about the Gou'ald, the Tok'ra, and the Jaffa?"

"Sir…" Sam Carter looked at him warningly with a grin on her face.

"Fine, Carter. I was just trying to lighten up this dismal display. Daniel, tell me what you expect to find."

"Well, the UAV we sent picked up some ruins. At first glance I would venture to guess an abandoned Ancient city but I need a closer look to know for sure."

"Of, course you do. Carter, talk to me?"

"Sir, readings we have received thus far shows some promising results. The naquada deposits are some of the purest we have seen so far."

"Mitchell?"

"Oh, uh…well, General I'm just along for the ride on this one."

"I know the feeling, Colonel. Well, Teal'c is off appeasing the Jaffa counsel but the planet in question seems devoid of habitation no humanoids nor animal life. It should be simple exploration. You have a go. Dismissed."


	2. Chapter 2

**On the Planet**

As soon as Sam stepped through the other side of the wormhole she could feel it. As she stood on the gate's pedestal she began to notice how much thicker the atmosphere seemed and felt a trickle of sweat slide down her spine. According to the MALP readings this planet was in fact conducive to supporting human life. Still something wasn't quite right but she couldn't immediately put her finger on it. She willed herself to move to prevent from being plowed down by the rest of the team. It took entirely too much concentration to perform and complete such a simple thought.

She walked down the steps to the DHD slowly. She suddenly feeling fatigued as she waited for the rest of her team. Her extremities were tingling. She could feel an irrational panic rising. There had to be an explanation to it all but her brain function had come to a screeching halt.

Sam stood unmoving next to the DHD not noticing anything around her as Cam and Daniel made their way to her. It started as a slight pressure on her lungs then gradually turned into a great weight. The air was being sucked from her lungs. She felt like the air was too heavy to take in. She was suffocating. As she felt herself gasp for air she felt a rise in temperature. Her blood was beginning to boil. The rest of the team didn't have a chance to get to her before she began to panic.

As the gate disengaged all rational though left her brain she made a run for the gate in an attempt to reach the wormhole. "NO!" she screamed as it disappeared. She was suddenly on the pedestal making a futile attempt to dial the gate manually screaming, "I have to get out of here. I HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE! **I HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE!"**

Caught of guard the rest of the team was left stunned. They had barely been on the planet long enough for the wormhole to disengage before Sam lost it.

"SAM!" "CARTER!" Cam and Daniel yelled in unison.

"**I HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE!"**

Neither of them could get through to her as she continued to try to spin the dial with her bare hands. Cam signaled for Daniel to stay where he was then slowly walked to her hands held up to show her empty palms. She didn't seem to realize anyone was there. Cam spoke forcing his voice to be calm, "Carter. Sam, Daniel will dial the gate if you come down off the pedestal. Will that be okay?"

"**I HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE!"** she screamed shaking her head frantically.

At a loss of what else to do Cam grabbed Sam forcibly removing her from the pedestal yelling, "Daniel dial the gate!" He was holding onto Sam as she tried with every fiber of her being to run into an unstable wormhole. If he were to let her go now she would kill herself in the event horizon or by hitting Earth's closed iris. Neither of those scenarios was acceptable but she was strong and he was loosing his grip. She fought as if she were in enemy hands.

"I can't hold her much longer Jackson", Sam brought her head up sharply making contact with Cam's unprotected face. She broke free running like an Olympic sprinter just out of the starting blocks to reach her only salvation, the gate.

"AH! Damnit Carter!" Cam yelled holding his now bleeding nose. Coming to his senses he realized he didn't know if she had had enough time to make it back safely. "Tell me you were able to send the code", Cam said as bent at the waist panting and nose bleeding freely.

"She took off as I pressed enter. I think she had enough time."

"God, she's tough. What the hell happened?"

"I have no idea but we better go find out", Daniel said. Cam nodded his head in agreement and together the stepped through the still active wormhole.


	3. Chapter 3

**Back at the SGC**

"Unscheduled offworld activation!"

"Report!" Jack inquired.

"Sir, its SG1's IDC."

"What? They haven't even been gone a half an hour. Open the iris."

The iris barely had enough time to completely retract before a figured tumbled onto the ramp in an unrecognizable heap of SGC uniform.

"Medical team to the gate room!" came over the loudspeaker before Jack could leave the control room. He had to confirm the heap. He had a feeling and his heart sank. As he enter the gate room he knew the heap on the ramp was too small to be any else but Sam Carter.

"Stand down!" he yelled as he ran to Sam now laying on the ramp unconscious. He knelt beside her feeling for a pulse. He was relieved to find the soft steady thumping of her heart and her breath against his hand.

Looking up at the Stargate he wondered aloud, "where the hell are Daniel and Mitchell?"

As if called by Jack's pondering Daniel and Cam walked through the gate. He was stunned by the blood covering Cam's blouse. His features were paler than normal presumable from blood loss caused by an obviously broke nose.

The medics quickly entered the gate room assessing where there attention would be needed first. The first two were drawn to the still unconscious Sam. A third went to the bleeding Cam while a fourth went to an uninjured, for a change, Daniel.

"What happened? You were gone a half an hour."

Daniel started, "I don't know, Jack. The wormhole barely had time to disengage. We didn't even make it past the DHD before Sam lost it. She was trying to dial the gate manually."

Cam briefly escaped the medics to confront a concerned General overlooking the mess before him, "I had to pull her off the gate so we could dial home. She broke my nose trying to get to the gate before Daniel could even enter the IDC. It's probably good she didn't dial out because my guess is she wasn't thinking clear enough to send the IDC."

The attention of both Cam and Daniel was caught by the medics picking Sam off the ramp. They moved to her as she was placed gently on the gurney.

"Is she all right?" Cam asked.

"She was unconscious when she hit the ramp", Jack told them clamly. Getting a good look at the two men standing in front him he said, "go get yourselves checked out by the good doctor. That nose looks broken Mitchell."

"Oh it is most definitely broken, Sir. Carter has a hard head", Cam confirmed but declining the ride on the gurney. He was determined to walk to the infirmary under his own power.


	4. Chapter 4

**In the Infirmary**

The medics were in a flurry trying to stabilize one Sam Carter. On the short trip to the infirmary from the gate room her vitals took a severe dive. Her entire body seized with her back arching off the gurney. One minute she was breathing on her own normally the next she was going into respiratory failure. A portable monitor hooked to Sam's index finger was now emitting a steady tone. Her heart had stopped beating.

The men following the gurney were in shock. Only an hour ago Sam was smiling laughing at lousy jokes now she lay on a gurney dying. "What the hell happened on that God forsaken planet?" That was the only thought on everyone's mind.

They were at a loss for answers. Cam and Daniel were still healthy neither showing signs of illness with the exception of Cam's broken nose. Why?

One of the medics jumped onto the moving gurney to frantically perform CPR, "1, 2, 3,…30… BREATH! 1, 2, 3,…30… BREATH! She's in Vfib! Ready the paddles!"

"Charging! Clear!" Sam's body jumped from the shock but no change was evident. The insistent tone was still low and steady in the background.

"Come on Sam. Fight," Jack said only loud enough for Daniel and Cam to hear.

"Nothing!"

"50 CCs of epi and Shock her again!"

"Clear!"

Sam's body jumped again with the life giving electric charge, "We have a rhythm!" The steady tone turned into a steady beeping indicating the restart of Sam's heart. There was a sigh of relieve with one obstacle down however she still was not out of woods yet.

The medic still on Sam forced air into her lungs with a handheld respirator. He was screaming once the doors to the infirmary opened, "We need to intubate, NOW!" He jumped from the gurney taking the tube being handed to him by one of the nurses,

"Doctor her temp has spiked to 106!"

"What the hell is going on? All of her systems have gone totally haywire! Breathing, circulation, thermostat, brain function…everything!"

Dr. Carolyn Lam broke from the frenzy. She made her way to the rest of SG1. She spoke softly and calmly but with urgency, "Gentlemen, we need to know what you came in contact with on that planet."

Daniel spoke first, "Nothing! There wasn't time…"

Cam broke in, "As soon as the wormhole disengage she freaked out."

It was Jack's turn, "Doc they were only gone 30 minutes. Do you have any idea what's going on."

"I don't know General. Something out there has made all of her systems overload. I can't help thinking of a computer rebooting when there is a corrupt file…"

Cam interrupted, "you don't think it's that crazy computer entity that piggybacked the MALP telemetry a few years back, do you?"

Jack and Daniel both took a moment to look at Cam, "What? I told you I was in that hospital a very, very long time."

"Hell I don't think I've read all of our reports."

"You haven't, Jack," Daniel told him.

"Okay, so it's not an entity invading then what?" Cam asked.

The doctor looked at Cam then the rest of the worried faces surrounding her. They were looking for answers she couldn't give them, "I don't want to speculate until I'm able to get a better handle on all of this. First and foremost why was Colonel Carter the only one affected? Did she touch something with either of you seeing it?"

"Not possible. She was on the planet no more than 60 seconds before us and only made to the DHD," Cam told her.

"Okay I want full work ups on all of you. The answer is here somewhere and we are going to find."

"Unscheduled offworld activation!" the loudspeakers told them.

That was Jack's cue. He had an entire base to run after all. As he left he tried to get a glimpse of Sam. All that could be seen of her were machines and tubes. His heart ached knowing he had to leave. "Keep me posted Doc," he said solemnly breaking away from the group.

"Absolutely, Sir." She turned to Cam, "now for you Colonel. How did you manage to do that to your nose?"

"Colonel Carter did it. She didn't particularly like it when I pulled her off the gate. It's nothing Doctor."

"Come on Colonel hop up so I can take a look," she said patting the hospital bed next to them.

"But Sam…"

"She is in good hands. Now let me take a look."

Slowly Cam complied jumping up onto the indicated bed allowing the doctor to do her worst.

"She really did a number on you Colonel. How do you feel any dizziness, fatigue, or nausea?"

Cam had to admit it he felt like hell, "all of the above."

"Lay back I'll get you something for the pain then we'll set it."

"Oh, joy," Cam said sarcastically but doing as he was told. He lay back closing his eyes waiting for the doctor's return. Dr. Lam returned with all needed and began her work.

"That should do it Colonel. I'm going to prescribe some pain meds. You are going to be sporting some bruising around your eyes. You have lost quite a bit of blood. I'd like to be able to keep an on you for the night."

Cam lay back closing his eyes. He would not fight the good doctor on this beside if he stays here he'd be the first to know of any changes in Sam's condition. There was no chance he could be at fault but he couldn't help take claim. He didn't know if there was something that could have been done but he couldn't help feeling as though he should have known.

It was just like a soldier to stake claim in something that could not be avoided or predicted. As Cam Mitchell lay in the infirmary watching the doctors and nurses work on Sam Jack O'Neill was in the control room wondering what he could have done to prevent any of this from ever happening.


	5. Chapter 5

**Conference Room Conversation**

Teal'c walked down the ramp to a waiting Jack O'Neill. The look on the General's face made Teal'c speak, "what has transpired O'Neill?"

"Walk with me, T."

"What is our destination?"

"The infirmary."

With a nod of his head Teal'c followed Jack out of the gate room. Teal'c asked no more question while Jack offered no answers. Teal'c knew there was only one reason he would be asked to accompany Jack O'Neill to the infirmary. One of his team had been seriously injured on a mission. His gut feeling told him who was lying in the infirmary leaving Jack O'Neill visible distraught.

Upon entering the infirmary Teal'c quickly made eye contact with Cam and Daniel. His suspicions were confirmed as the men made there way over.

"How is she?" Jack asked.

"I can't get the doc to tell me anything substantial but she wants to talk to us in the conference room, Sir," Cam told him.

"Alright, we'll meet in the conference room in 15 minutes."

Daniel and Cam agreed silently leaving Jack and Teal'c a moment with Sam. The machines beeped and whooshed methodically sustaining her life. She was so pale and looked uncommonly fragile. She was still on a respirator with a tube in her mouth forcing air into her lungs. It was a disturbing sight for all of them to the see the unnatural rise and fall of her chest.

Teal'c watched as Jack moved to her bedside. He placed one hand on top of one of hers while at the same time brushing a strand of arrant blonde hair from her forehead.

Jack turned from her moving closer to Teal'c. He placed on hand on Teal'c forearm then said, "let's go see what Doctor Lam has to say." Teal'c gave him a slight nod of his head. It was the only indication he that he agreed. Never would he how eager was to find answers. Together they walked side by side out of the infirmary to meet the rest of the team and the doctor.

Teal'c and Jack were the last to arrive. Jack took the seat at the head of the table as Teal'c took his usually seat. All eyes turned Dr. Lam with each of the men barely able to contain themselves. They had the questions but more importantly she had the answers.

Jack was the first to speak, "how is she doctor?"

"Sir, she is in a coma."

"What…?" came from all the men at once.

Dr. Lam held up her hand to respectfully call for silence from the rumbling men surrounding her, "her body has gone through something extremely traumatic. This coma is part of the healing process. What happened on the planet caused Colonel Carter's system to…"

"Freak out," Jack and Cam both offered.

Daniel shook is head. Teal'c showed no emotion. The doctor slightly annoyed continued, "I was going to say all of her systems have overloaded. However, we have stabilized her. Her heart is beating normally and the respirator is only a precaution. As quickly as her temperature spiked to the limit, it came down just as quickly. As of yet I can not give you all the answers. But because Colonel Carter was the only member of the team affect I'd have to venture to guess it has something to do with her unusual blood chemistry."

"Will she recover?"

"I am hopeful but her recovery is going to take some time. All of her systems seem to have gone through some kind of self test and restart. Although it all happened at once meaning her heart stopped as she went into respiratory failure as well as her temperature spike everything more or less returned to normal before any permanent damage could be caused. We need some answers. Unfortunately they are on that planet."

"Do you think it's safe for a team to go back to the planet for another look?"

"Well, both Dr. Jackson and Colonel Mitchell were checked out thoroughly. What ever affected Colonel Carter did not affect them. Normally I would suggest not going back but it may be necessary if she can't come out of this on her own."

"SG1?"

"We're ready, Sir," Cam said anxious to get ready. The rest agreed.

"Well, then suit up. You have a go. Thank, Doc. Dismissed."

SG1 pushed there chairs back from the table while Jack hesitated. Daniel noticed, "Jack?"

Jack looked up meeting Daniel's eye, "I just need you guys to be okay."

"What happened to Sam…Jack it wasn't your fault. You couldn't have known. None of could. Just believe she's going to fine."

'I know Daniel but I gave the order."

"I was with her, Jack. I couldn't stop what happened. I didn't even know she was in danger. Jack, she's on life support and I…we couldn't stop it," Daniel stopped talking taking off his glasses. He closed his eye wiping his face with his hands. "I don't want to loose her either."

Jack got up walked to his former teammate and friend then pulled him into the briefest of hugs.


	6. Chapter 6

**Back to the Planet**

The unstable event horizon of the forming wormhole whooshed from the stargate then settled into a vertical pool of light. No matter how many times they saw it, it was still an amazing sight. It was as though someone learned to control water and rein it in before it could escape.

Jacked had watched it 1000 times before in awe of the technology that, as far as he was concerned, only Sam Carter understood. He couldn't help wondering silently who will be the next to fall due to some mission he ordered them on. This particular planet has nearly claimed one. Will it put some one else on its list of victims. Maybe his heart was to close to this one. He pushed the thought of loosing Sam as far from his mind as he could but he knew full well that he will be bombarded in his sleep. The nightmare of his life without Sam is one he had often but some how having her laid up in the infirmary made the dream more real, more tangible. He would not be sleeping tonight.

The reverie of everyone was broken by Jack who spoke while shaking his head slightly to clear his mind of unwanted thoughts, "SG1…Good luck and Godspeed."

With a nod Cam, Daniel, and Teal'c walked up the ramp side by side determined to find the answers they needed and to save their teammate.

Stepping through the other side of the wormhole 44 light years from Earth Cam asked teammates, "okay, how is everybody feeling?"

"I'm okay. Teal'c?"

"As am I."

"Cool. Let's get this get this party started. We need to pick up as many samples as we can get from the gate to the DHD."

The three men began their collection of vegetation, rocks, soil, and swabs from both the gate and DHD.

The team of three was on the planet for nearly an hour. During that time none said a word. The silence was deafening until Teal'c spoke in his naturally booming voice. Cam flinched instinctively automatically gripping his weapon tighter with the words from Teal'c, "Colonel Mitchell I believe it would be prudent for to return to Earth immediately."

"What going on big guy?"

"Before we left Stargate Command I received my allotted injection for tretonin however I feel that I may need the next injection much sooner than scheduled."

"What?"

"There is something on this world affecting how my body reacts without a symibote."

"Do you think this is the same thing that's affecting Sam?"

"Indeed."

"Riiiight! Jackson, dial it up! We're going home before Teal'c freaks out!"

"I do not believe that will be the case, Colonel Mitchell," Teal'c said in his usual calm voice. It created a certain sense of security Cam wasn't sure he could trust.

"Just a precaution, big guy. As my Grandma used to say, 'better to be safe than unable to control a freaked out jaffa.'"

Teal'c raised a confused eyebrow at Cam, not much of what Cam's Grandma ever said made much sense.

Daniel heard his name being yelled from Cam. He looked up to see his two other teammates talking. He watched for a moment before the command to dial home registered in his brain. At the DHD Daniel dialed Earth pressing the buttons in sequence. Something was going wrong and now they were going home early.

Teal'c and Cam waited for Daniel at the edge of the Stargate. When he reached them Daniel asked, "what happened?"

"Teal'c thinks he maybe experience the same thing Sam is going through. I figured we should err on the side of caution before we had an uncontrollable jaffa on our hands. I already had my nose broken this week. I'm not prepared to see Teal'c in the middle of a great freak out."

All in agree they walked through the gate just as they came side by side.


	7. Chapter 7

**Infirmary Visit**

Jack sat quietly next the hospital bed next Sam Carter. He just couldn't bring himself to leave her side. He stopped talking aloud to her a while ago instead he opted to continued in silent prayer. From the corner of his down cast eyes he saw movement. Could it be? He looked up fully carefully watching.

There! She moved her hand! He studied her face she was fighting to open her eye against the harsh lighting of the infirmary, "Doc…somebody she's waking up!"

He could see she was starting to panic and fight the tube helping her breath. He remembered the disturbing sensation of being intubated. He vacated his chair and stepped forward placing a gentle hand on her head, "Sam. Sam its Jack, don't fight the tube. It's helping you breath. The doc will be here in a minute to look you over, okay?"

She calmed down with his touch and soothed by his gentle voice. She gave a small nod acknowledging she understood. He was here. He was her protector. She was going to be okay just by his mere presence.

He couldn't take his eye off her. She was trying to keep her eyes open for him. She was trying to look at him with very little success. She was still weak from all that had happened. He was unnerved by the fact she could not do much more than squeeze his hand and give a little nod. She was going to drop off once again into oblivion with him seeing her eyes open. He was desperate to see her eyes. If he could only see her eyes then he would know for sure all will be right with the world.

Two nurses rushed to his position. He answered their questioning looks, "she woke up fought the tube then drifted off again."

They attended to her checking Sam's vitals. One of the nurses stepped to his side to speaking softly to him, "Sir, she is getting stronger. Her pulse is strong and temperature is down. Her lungs sound good she maybe ready for the tube to come out. We'll contact Dr. Lam but I think the next time the Colonel here wakes we'll able to relieve her of the mechanical ventilator."

He let a breath he didn't realize he was holding then said, "Thanks, nurse."

He sat back down to wait. He held her hand willing her to open her eye. He wanted to see her breathing easy. It was nearly unbearable to see the unnatural evenness of the rise and fall of her chest.

An hour passed. Jack had not moved nor had he removed is hand from hers. She were to wake up he wanted to be there. He wanted to be the first to know. A light squeeze on his brought him back to reality, "Sam? Doc!"

He watched intently as her eyes opened ever so slightly. He was hovering in her line of sight smiling down at her. She looked at him recognition registering. She wasn't fighting him nor was she fighting the mechanical ventilator but he knew it had to be damned uncomfortable, "hi, welcome back Colonel. You had us pretty scared here. Just hold on a couple more minutes. The Doc will take you off the ventilator."

She nodded sleepily. Dr. Warner came around the corner to see Jack speaking to a conscious Sam. When he got close enough if spoke as he prepared to take out the tube, "it's good to see you awake, Colonel. We have been at a bit of a loss to her to figure out what happened. Okay take now want you to cough lightly on the next exhale."

She did as you was instructed but continued to cough. The doctor quickly placed nasal tube around Sam's face leaving her to breathe and speak freely.

At first her voice crack from disuse, "Gen-eral…"

Jack was instantly there with a paper cup and straw, "here try this. Take it slow."

She sipped gratefully and tried to speak again, "Sir, what…what happened?"

"What do you remember?"

"Not much. I remember the air being heavy…I was suffocating…it was hot…my blood felt like it was boiling…After that nothing."

"I guess you don't remember breaking Mitchell's nose then."

"I did what?" she exclaimed with surprise. Her eyes were growing heavy again but she fought against falling asleep again. She wanted all the answers now but she was betrayed by her own body.

"Unauthorized offworld activation!"

"Well that's my cue, Carter. I have a feeling that's SG1 coming back a little earlier than scheduled. Get some rest. I'll be back, okay?"

"I look forward to it, Sir," she said quietly not able to fight her heavy eye lids any longer. He stood there long enough to watch her loose this particular battle and couldn't help the small smile from forming across his hard features. She was going to okay.

Jack rushed his way through the halls of the SGC with everyone standing at attention as he past. It was one of the hardest things about being in charge to get used to. All conversation ceased when he neared and everyone popped to attention when he entered a room. "Carry on, Airman," was always on the tip of his tongue.

Jack stood in front of the control room window as SG1 returned much as they had left. Not one at a time but side by side with no bid from any of them to be in the lead. Jack breathed a sigh of relief to see his team all returning upright and moving of their own accord. However, there was something about Teal'c. The big Jaffa didn't seem to be standing as erect as he usual did. His proud stance was some how diminished. This put worry squarely on General Jack O'Neill's shoulders. Something was wrong and now he feared that that planet had once again claimed a victim. With this thought to the forefront of his mind he ran out of the control room nearly falling down steps in his haste.


	8. Chapter 8

**Dr. Lam's Questions**

The announcement of "Unauthorized offworld activation!" did not phase the doctor or interrupt her immediate train of thought. It was such a common occurrence that unless the claxons blared and a medical emergency was called she knew she was not needed. Her medical team would be there to make the initial assessment and she would be in the infirmary waiting to take over.

The doctor studied her samples carefully. She was determined to find the answers so many people wanted to have. They were all looking to her now. These people were the best and brightest and she was one of them.

Colonel Carter's results showed a marked increase of a substance not found on Earth. It was essentially identifiable. Because they didn't know to look for it the systems couldn't catch it and contain it. But what was it? As far as she could tell the substance was attacking the naquada and/or the protein marker left behind by the symbiote Colonel Carter once carried.

Okay now she had a culprit but…but what? Taking a deep breath Dr. Lam next placed the sample of Dr. Jackson's blood under the microscope. Interestingly enough he also had the same toxin in his blood but had thus far been unaffected. A thought entered mind which caused her to grab for Colonel Mitchell's sample. Now she was on to something. He had it his blood as well. But what does it all mean?

The culprit in question acted as a toxins but humans with normal physiology seemed to natural immune to its relentless attacks. In the case of Colonel Carter and her altered physiology the effects of toxin affected her almost immediately after coming into contact with it. It put her body in a serve state of some kind of anaphylactic shock essentially stopping all of her body's regulatory systems. Why? That same question once again.

These findings made her think of Teal'c and his body's response to this yet to be identified culprit. Would his alien physiology be affected? Because of the absence of a symbiote would his reactions be as immediate and just as life threatening as his teammate? Would his systems go through the same complete system shut down as Colonel Carter? The questions were stacking on top of each other. Dr. Lam knew if she could find the answer to just one of these question she have answers to all of them.

It seemed to act as a toxin. It was an alien protein which is absorbed into the body. It interacted with biological macromolecules within the victim. There was also evidence that it was produced by living cells or organisms but from where? That answer was yet to come.

For normal human physiology the toxin was absorbed, processed than expelled through the skin via pores. Something clicked in the doctor's mind. The 'unauthorized offworld activation' had to be SG1. Damn her curiosity! She cursed herself as dialed the control room, "Sergeant was that SG1 returning early? Have they left the gate room? Thank you Sergeant."

"Jesus!" She whispered before she ran full tilt out of the lab. She had to stop SG1 from coming into contact with Colonel Carter. They could unwittingly kill her by something as simple as a caring touch. The Sergeant told her SG1 had already left the gate and were headed to the infirmary. She had to beat them there, headed them off at the pass so to speak.

The men of SG1 were huddled close to the hospital bed. The doctor came skidding to a halt when entering the infirmary breathing heavily. She nearly dropped to her knees when she discovered she was too late. However, she had to act quickly now. She gave orders to her staff which at the moment made very little sense, "PREPARE THE CRASH CART AND MECHANICAL VENTILATOR!"

"Ma'am?" one of the nurses questioned.

"Just do it!"

"Gentleman, I'm asking you to trust to me. I need to step back…please," she pleaded with them knowing she hadn't given them reason to trust. After all, their teammate laid smiling and laughing with them. For all they knew Sam was on a straight road to recovery. But Dr. Lam knew it took approximately 30 minutes for the toxin to take affect and didn't know how long they had been here.

With a questioning look Jack moved to the doc slowly, "what's going on, Doctor?"

"Sir, I found the cause of Colonel Carter's condition."

He stiffened with anticipation, "what is it?"

"It's a toxin. As far as I can tell it was in every sample brought back from that planet including water, soil, planet life…it's in the air." She paused before she continued, "Sir, it is in their blood work including Teal'c."

Jack was stunned but acted quickly, "SG1 do as the Doc says. Go get yourselves cleaned up. I want to debrief in 30 minutes."

"Jack what's going on?"

"Daniel, save it for the debrief okay."

Daniel left hesitantly from the bedside of one of his closest friends trail behind Cam and Teal'c. Jack moved to back to his position at the side of the bed slipping his hand easily into hers. She looked at him nervous and terrified.

"Sir…I can't…", it her struck suddenly. He could see her eyes close and while a sheen of sweaty grace her brow as he felt her grip tighten on his hand. Her back arched off the bed.

All the monitors indicated the same thing. "SHE'S CRASHING!" Her systems were once again overloading. Her heart and lungs stopped, her temperature sky rocketed. With a practiced ease Sam's systems were once again regulated with tubes and fever reducers. If they did not act quickly they would loose a cherished member of the SGC team. And the blame would lie heavily in the heart of SG1.


	9. Chapter 9

**Inside the Mind of an Astrophysicist **

She seemed to be set a drift. It felt as thought she were sitting on a boat with no means of getting back to the shore. She had no ropes to anchor her to the pier nor did she have a paddle to guide her. She wasn't sure what to do.

She was aware of an all consuming pain. It hurt to think. Her mind felt like it was in shambles. It was hard to think let alone breathe. Breathing was impossible as well as being impossibly hot.

"Sam", she heard a familiar voice speak her name. She found herself planted firmly on solid ground no longer adrift, no longer hopeless. She turned toward it to see the shadowed figure of a small woman.

"Who are you?" Sam asked skepticism lacing her voice. Sam knew the voice of her best friend but it couldn't be her, could it.

The smiling woman took a step into the light before speaking, "Have I really been gone that long? Out of sight out of mind I guess."

"Janet?" Sam said in a very low whisper. Hot tears were streaming down her cheeks, "You haven't been far out of my mind in three years. It was hardest on Daniel and Cassie was devastated. After you…after you left Cassie and me… Janet I'm not good at being a mother. I'm more of an exocentric Aunt. We needed you. I needed you."

"I'm sorry I had to leave you all. But Sam you are doing fine. Cassie is healthy and happy. She's starting college to study medicine with a side of physics I sure. I couldn't be happier. Sam, just remember that I would not have left my daughter in your capable hands if I had any doubts."

"If you have no doubts then why are you here?"

"Isn't it obvious, Sam?"

"Janet, don't be cryptic. Please."

"You need help and as your friend and former doctor I'm her to provide."

"YOU THINK I NEED HELP NOW!" Sam screamed. "I NEEDED HELP THREE YEARS AGO AND YOU DIDN'T TURN UP! WHAT MAKES NOW ANY DIFFERENT!"

Janet stood patiently waiting for the tirade to end. Once Sam was standing there breathing heavily Janet spoke softly, "Sam I'm sorry. I know it has been difficult for you and Cassy but you know full well why now is different."

"Say it", Sam pleaded softly.

"You're dying, Sam. You are very sick and without my help you'll die. How are you feeling?"

"I don't know. I feel great here."

"But you aren't here, Sam. Now how do you feel?"

Sam watch the expressions play across her friend's face. All at once worry, sadness, and apprehension could be seen on a single face. She shook her head slowly then closed her eyes. She reached out with what was left of her mind until she hit something solid. It was a wall but it wasn't a wall. She knew the feel of this 'wall'. It was a mental shield she meticulously built around her mind. She had been building and fortifying this shield since her mother died. Without it she would have died too. It had been there through every pain. It protected her both mentally and physically. It was strong enough to help her compartmentalize her any pain she felt. In the field she couldn't feel she needed to think clearly without her mind being clouded. With it she would have went mad long ago.

Hesitantly she pushed against the shield and was brought to her knees from the painful filled agony just behind her careful shield. Suddenly she found herself in front of a screaming Janet, "SAM! SAM, ARE YOU ALRIGHT!"

Sam blinked rapidly, "yeah I think I'm okay. At least I'm okay here."

"I don't understand Sam. What just happened?"

"I don't know if I can explain it. In here inside mind I'm safe and pain free. Out there", Sam waved her hands wide indicating a large area, "I'm dying… I'm dying."

"Sam I can help you. Please let me."

"How can you help me? You are a figment of my over active imagination."

"Daniel and Teal'c helped you once."

Thinking about the concussion she received on the Prometheus all those years ago she remembered telling Janet about the hallucinations but not all of her hallucinations, "Jack and a little girl named Grace were there too."

"And you got home…"

"And I got home…"

"Now that that is settled is there anything you can tell me? Anything at all that could be useful to us?"

"Something on the last planet made all my internal systems freak out."

"Freak out, Sam? Is that a technical term the CMO has taught you?" Janet asked mockingly.

"Well it's about as technical as Jack and Cam can get. Anyway, my thermostat has my temperature nearly beyond human tolerance. My heart stopped and my lungs have failed. I should be dead."

"But you're not and you won't be if I have anything to do with it. Now is there anything else?"

"I don't…" Sam hesitated.

"What?"

"Teal'c…"

"What about Teal'c?"

"He wasn't there with me but he went back with Daniel and Cam."

"Without a symbiote the two of you have a similar chemistry, was he affected like you were?"

"He was affected but not like how I was affected."

"Okay so how is he different?"

Together they said, "Tritonin."

Sam looked at her best friend, "Will it work for me?"

"It's Anaphylaxis, Sam. Something on that planet has caused a life threatening allergic reaction. An injection of Tritonin should work like an epi pen."

"How do I let them know?"

"Jack is with you."

"He's always with me. I can feel him when he's here. He talks to me when he thinks no can hear him. He doesn't really believe I know he's there."

"So, tap to him."

"What?"

"I said talk to him."

"No you just said 'tap to him'."

"So, now you know what you need to do. Do it. I have to go now."

"Janet…"

"I know Sam. I miss you too. Take good care of Cassie for me", Janet reached a hand to Sam's face then vanished.

With all the concentration Sam could muster she did as her best friend and former doctor had instructed her to do. She tapped to him.


End file.
